THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 261, 3 April 1875, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL

GENERAL ENGLISH NEWS. London, March The mail via San Francisco left on February 7. The weather up to that time had been very cold, and snow was still on the ground. Deathshad been very numerous iu consequence. The frosts in Scotland were very severe, and Loch Fyne was frozen solid. The World has been having a little chaff at Mr. Vogel’s expense. It alludes to a joke put forward about a politician, who having carried all before him in the colonies, had come to England in search of new fields of victory, and was as yet in a state of uncertainty whether to fill the vacuum caused by the retirement of Mr. Gladstone, or to to supersede Mr. Disraeli. It is rumored that the father of Don Carlos with others has raised a large sum of money in Loudon to carry on the struggle. The New Zealand Shipping Company sent out under contract with the New Zealand Government last year, sixty-three ships, of a total registered tonnage of 62,255 tons, and carrying 15,938 passengers, and not a single casualty has befallen any of the company’s vessels. The British Government intend to introduce a measure for applying the lash in all cases of violent assault, which are becoming of so alarmingly frequent occurrence. The retirement of Mr. Gladstone has been a fearful blow to the Liberal party, which may be said to have almost ceased to exist. It is split up into so many contending factions that even Mr. Gladstone was unable latterly to keep it in hand, and now it is hopelessly divided. Machines for tunneling, similar to those used at Mont Cenis, are being prepard to commence the Channel Tunnel. The only difficulty feared is meeting hard rock in the centre instead of the soft chalk anticipated. The cost of the tunnel is estimated at a million sterling. It is reported that categorical instructions have been forwarded to the Roman Catholic priests throughout Britain to refuse absolution at the Easter con fessions to anyone withholding belief from the Vatican decrees and Infallibility of the Pope. Dr. Dalliston, formerly principal medical officer to the British forces in New Zealand, and for ten years a medical practitioner in Yokohama, died on 10th January. Mr. John Bright’s ill-judged speech at Birmingham has greatly disappointed his admirers. It was simply a savage attack on the Established Church. The Prince Beatrice, it is announced positively, is to marry the Hereditary Grand Duke of Baden. Both are eighteen years of age, and the marriage will take place in twelve months. Bills amending the International copyright law, and placing the entire metropolis of London under one municipal Government have been introduced into the House of Commons. The Emperor of China died of smallpox. On the same day a grand festival was to be held in honor of the goddess of small-pox. A serious riot has occurred at Falchow, China, in consequence of the tax on rice having been increased. Ten thousand people rose en masse. The gentry assisted the police, but the rioters were absolutely reckless and uncontrollable. Twenty-three Roman Catholic Bishops of Germany have issued a protest, on behalf of the entire Catholic population, protesting against such interference in the Papal election as is implied in Bismarck’s circular despatch. AMERICAN NEWS.

There is great depression in New York, and strikes continue in various State. The failure of Vyse and Co., straw goods dealers, Broadway, for 1,800,000 dollars caused much surprise. Distress consequent on the ravages committed by grasshoppers is still reported from Kansas and Nebraska, and is aggravated by the intensely cold weather experienced throughout the States, which continued till the middle of February. At Boston many docks are frozen over. Thousands of people have crossed the bridge of ice between New York and Brooklyn, the East river being frozen over. The Delaware river is frozen over, and Philadelphia cannot be approached by ships. From all parts of the Northern States come accounts of cold, sleet, storm, and ice, with consequent loss of life to human beings, cattle, trains delayed, navigation impeded, suffering, sorrow, and destitution accompanying a terrible winter. Thousands of poor have been thrown out of employment, and are in terrible straits from want of coal, blankets, and food. The thermometer in Now York stood as low as 45deg. below zero. There is a great commercial crisis in Toronta, Canada. The Wheat crop in California gives

600,000 tons for export. The total estimated growth for the State this year was thirty million bushels. The wall of a building adjoining St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, New York, fell on the church during service and broke through. The wildest excitement fol lowed, and several were killed and wounded. The Beecher-Tilton suit is slowly progressing. Some little sensation has been created by the advent in San Francisco of Frank Gardiner, the New South Wales Bushranger, whose release cost the Parkes Ministry their seats. The Chronicle sent a reporter to interview him. After relating his career, he said he intended to endeavor to gain an honest livelihood. He said he had the good wishes of threefourths of the Australian people because he never committed murder; he had given away more than half his earnings on the road to poor travellers, and had never robbed a poor man. He said the life up-country in Australia naturally led young men on to horse-stealing.